Artificial frog fishing bait



Aug. 19 3952 M. u. MORRIS E TAL 2,607,151 ARTIFICIAL FROG FISHING BAIT Filed July 2, 1949 Invcnrons, Mcncnnur U. Monms AND HARRY J Wesrsenem, .BY m

Patented Aug. 19, 1952 ARTIFICIAL FROG FISHING BAIT Merchant U. Morris and Harry Joseph Westerfleld, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application July 2, 1949, Serial No. 102,733

4 Claims.

1 This invention relates to an artificial frog type fishing bait and more particularly to an articulated mechanical frog structure for use in cast ing and trolling for fish.

A primary object of the invention is .to provide a structure which will simulate the appearance and actions of a live frog when it is pulled and maneuvered through water by a fisherman.

A further important object of the invention is to provide such a structure which is resistant to damage when struck by a large fish.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fish bait having the above attributes which can be easily, economically and eiilciently manufactured and assembled.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an artificial frog embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view in top plan of the lower portion of the structure:

Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line 4-4 in Fig. l; and

5 is a view in section on the line 5-5 in Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A hollow body generally designated by the numeral I I is formed'from any suitable material such as plastic to resemble the body and head portions of a natural frog. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 this body consists of an upper back portion I I and a lower belly portion H, which pieces marginally match each other to abut on a horisontal plane with a fiange It upturned from the portion II to telescope within the upper portion ll. These two portions are held together by the bolts I4 and II which pass freely through the back portion and are screw-threadedly engaged in the belly portion.

A pair of identical eyes It and H are formed as sealed hollow bodies out ofany suitable material including plastic, and are fixed in the back H to act as fioats to provide buoyancy for the body II and also to simulate the eyes of a natural frog.

Short legs II and it preferably flexible in nature. are fixed to the belly portion II to simulate the front less of a natural frog.

Two articulated rear legs generally designated by the numerals 2e and II are formed from a resilient material such as rubber. These legs each have thighs 22 and 23. calves 24 and 26 revolubly connected to said thighs, and feet 5 and 6 fixed on the free ends of the calves. Upright fins 21 and 28 are fixed on the tops of the feet 5 and 6 respectively in longitudinally disposed, vertical planes.

The body, legs and eyes are colored to resemble the coloring of a natural frog, the exact shading and marking being a matter of choice and not constituting a part of this invention.

A bracket member 29 formed from fiat thin material such as sheet metal, consists of fiat vertical portion 30 longitudinally disposed inside of the body I0 with transversely disposed vertical flanges II and 32 extending in the same direction from the front and rear ends of said longitudinal portion 29. The rear flange 32 has a horizontal foot 3! integrally formed on the bottom end thereof and which is bolted to the belly if to hold' the support member 29 in fixed position within the body II.

A propeller shaft 34 longitudinally disposed in the body I0 is journaled on the front end of the belly i2 and extends through the flanges ti and 32, to be held against longitudinal movement by stops 3! and it which are fixed on the shaft 84 to abut the outer faces of the flanges 8i and if. The forward end of the shaft 34 extends from the front end of the belly I2 and has a propeller 81 fixed thereon.

A worm wheel a is revolubly mounted on a horizontal axis on the bracket to directly over the propeller shaft 34 and in constant mesh with a worm t8 integrally formed on the shaft I. A crank pin It is fixed to extend from the face of the worm wheel 88 opposite from that face toward the bracket I0 and near the outer periphery of the wheel. A connecting rod ll is revolubly connected by its forward end to the crank pin it. This connecting rod 40 is slidably guided through the hole II in the rear .end of the belly it. Thus as the worm wheel it may be revolved, the connecting rod ll will reciprocate longitudinally in a vertical plane.

The thigh portions If and II of the articulated rear legs fl and II respectively enter the body through the'slots ll and 42 across the margin of the belly portion If. The inner ends of said thigh portions have sleeves 48 and M fixed therein. These sleeves are revolubly mounted respectlvely on vertically disposed pins ll and 48 carriedbythe belly I! and extendingupwardlyto beengagedintheback H. Thusthethighsare revoluble around the pins 4| and 40 in a horisontal plane and the calves It and II are also re- 3 voluble with respect to the thighs in substantially the same horizontal plane.

Wire members 41 and 48, formed from any suitable resilient wire such as piano wire, are compressively fixed to the thigh 22 and 28 respectively under the overturned top ends of the sleeves 48 and 44 respectively to extend therefrom inwardly to cross the rod 40, Figs. 4 and 5. t

The free ends of the wire members 41 and 48 are formed into elongated loops 48 and 50 respectively. to receive the connecting rod 48 therethrough. These loops 48 and III are wide enough to permit the connecting rod 40 to pass freely therethrough and are comparatively long so as to permit transverse movement of said loops relative to the connecting rod, as best shown in Fig. 5.

Suitable stops ii and 52 are fixed on the connecting rod 40 to have the loops 49 and 50 lie therebetween to prevent longitudinal movement of said loops relative to the rod. Thus, upon the fore and aft reciprocation of the connecting rod 40, these stops will cause fore and aft oscillation of the loops 48 and 58, to in turn through their respective wire members 41 and 48 oscillate the thighs 22 and 28.

A ball 80 i pivotally mounted on the front of the body by eyes 53 and 54 carried respectively by the back I I and the body l2, to provide a weed protector for the propeller 81 and also to carry an eye 55 to which a leader or a fish line (not shown) can be attached.

Fishhooks, such as the gang 58. are fixed to the body at any desired location, the exact location of such hooks being a matter of choice and not constituting a part of this invention. A drain hole 81 is provided in the rear lower portion of the belly I 2.

Operation The loop 58 is engaged by the leader or the end of a fishing line and the artificial frog is cast and pulled through the water.

As the body I8 is pulled through water the water resistance rotates the propeller 81. Rotation of the propeller rotates the shaft 84 and the worm 88 thereon. Rotation of the worm 88 rotates the worm wheel 88 to revolve the crank pin 88 which action in turn reciprocates the connectn: rod 48 and the stops it and 52 to push and Pull the loops 48 and II and thus oscillate the thighs 22 and 28. The calves 24 and 28- are tended to be pulled toward and away from each other but their oscillation is limited by the fins 21 and 28 which tend to remain in planes parallel to the direction in which the artificial frog is by reason of water resistance on their sides. Thus the calves are at times directly behind the body, whether the thighs are at their innermost positions. as shown in broken lines in 3 or in their outermost positions as is shown in solid lines in Fla. 3. p

The calves 24 and 28, under water resistance to change of position, normally would tend to remain in the solid line positions, if the thighs were stationary. However, as the knee pivot rivets 8i and 82 are swung from the solid line to dash line positions, Figs. 8 and 4, the relatively upper ends of the calves 24 and 28 would be carried one toward the other with the feet I and [spread apart as shown in the outermost dash line position. These feet positions, however are quickly changed by reason of the water pressure ssaimt the then outwardly inclined vanes 21 and 28,tobringthosef eetland8towardoneanother toiheinnsrmostdashiinspositions. Thiaaetion 4 sets up a very natural frog leg, kicking action as it propels itself through the water.

It should be noted that due to the resilient construction of the articulated legs and the resliient wire drive members, the artificial frog is not normally damaged when the legs may be bent or distorted from their positions in the operating cycle, as would occur when the frog is struck by a fish. Thus the frog is usable over long periods of time. I

While we have herein shown and described our invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

We claim:

1. An artificial fishing bait comprising a hollow body formed to resemble the body of a natural frog; said body having hollow eyes fixed therein to act as floats and provide buoyancy for said body; support means fixed within said body; a longitudinally disposed propeller shaft revolubly carried by said support means, said shaft having an end extending from the front end of said body; a propeller fixed to the extended end of the propeller shaft; 9. first worm gear formed on said propeller shaft; a second worm wheel carried by support means in constant mesh with said first worm gear; a connecting rod pivotally connected to said second worm wheel near its outer periphery; said body having. a hole in its rear end in which said connecting rod is slidably movable, said hole thus acting as a guide for said connecting rod; a pair of sleeves revolubly connected to said body; a pair of articulated rear legs fixed to said sleeves, each of said legs consisting of a thigh and a calf pivotally connected to said thigh; -said legs being formed from a resilient material; a pair of resilient wires, one fixed to each of said sleeves, and each of said wires having an elongated loop in its free end encircling the connecting rod; a pair of stops fixed to said connecting rod on opposite sides of the loops; whereby rotation of said propeller will actuate said worm gear, said worm wheel will oscillate said connecting rod; reciprocation of said connecting rod will oscillate said loops, and oscillation of said loops will oscillate said thighs.

2. An artificial fishing bait comprising a hollow body formed to resemble the body of a natural frog; said body having hollow eyes fixed therein to act as fioats and provide buoyancy for said body: support means fixed within said body; a longitudinally disposed propeller shaft revolubly carried by said support means, said shaft having an end extending from the front end of said body; a propeller fixed to the extended end of the propeller shaft; a first worm gear formed on said propeller shaft: a second worm wheel carried by support means in constant mesh with said first worm; a connecting rod pivotally connected to said second worm wheel near its outer periphery; said body having a hole in its rear end in which said connecting rod is slidably movable, said hole thus acting as a guide for said connecting rod; a pair of sleeves revolubly connected to said body; a pair of articulated rear legs fixed to said sleeves, each of laidlegsconsistingofathighandacalfpivotally ieggscted to said thigh; said legs being formed wireaonefixedtoeachofssidsleeveaandeach a resilient material; a pair of resilient" of said wires having an elongated loop in its free end encircling the connecting rod; a pair of stops fixed to said connecting rod on opposite sides of the loops; whereby rotation of said propeller will actuate said worm gear, said worm wheel will oscillate said connecting rod; reciprocation of said connecting rod will oscillate said loops, and oscillation of said loops will oscillate said thighs; a longitudinally disposed fin fixed on the outer end of said calves and thus maintaining said calves in parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of said body when said artificial bait is dragged through water.

3. An artificial bait comprising a hollow body; a propeller shaft rotatably mounted in and extending from the body in a forward direction; a propeller on the forward end of the shaft; a pair of legs each pivoted to the body in such manner that they may be rocked in a substantially horizontal plane; each leg being formed in two parts, namely a thigh portionadjacent the body, and a calf portion freely pivoted to an end of the thigh portion in such a manner as to constrain the calf portion to motion in a substantially horizontal plane; a vertical fin on the outer end portion of each of said calf portions; a lever fixed to each thigh portion and extending inwardly of said body; a rod member reciprocated in a fore and aft direction by the turning of said shaft; each of said levers having an eye overlapping the other; said rod extending through both of said eyes; and spaced abutments fixed on said rod, between which said eyes are carried.

4. An artificial bait comprising a hollow body;

a propeller shaft rotatably mounted in and ex- 7 tending from the body in a forward direction; a propeller on the forward end of the shaft; a pair of legs each pivoted to the body in such manner 6 that they may be rocked in a substantially horizontal plane; each leg being formed in two parts, namely a thigh portion adjacent the body, and a calf portion freely pivoted to an end of the thigh portion in such a manner as to constrain the calf portion to motion in an also substantially horizontal plane; a vertical fin on the outer end portion of each of said calf portions; a lever fixed to each thigh portion and extending inwardly of said' body; a rod member reciprocated in a fore and aft direction by the turning of said shaft; each of said levers having an eye overlapping the other; said rod extending through both of said eyes; and spaced abutments fixed on said rod, between which said eyes are carried; a bouyancy member at the front upper portion of the body; and said body having a drain hole in its lower rear portion whereby said body may be held substantially horizontally as water enters the body to force air therefrom from the rear portion.

MERCHANT U. MORRIS.

HARRY JOSEPH WESTERFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 207,188 Martin Aug. 20, 1878 638,885 Peterson et a1 Dec. 12, 1899 941,911 Burthe Nov. 30, 1909 1,390,601 Caldwell Sept. 13, 1921 1,430,642 Gross Oct. 3, 1922 1,833,522 Goble Nov. 24, 1931 2,516,133 Martin July 25, 1950 2,555,802 Martin June 5, 1951 

